1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to jig assemblies. More particularly, the present invention discloses a jig assembly for assisting in installing drawer slides associated with an existing cabinet, such a jig assembly providing a durable, reversible and correct guide for supporting and affixing the drawer slides in a time efficient and precisely aligned manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Jig assemblies are generally known in the art, the purpose for which being to provide supporting and or guiding assistance during the installation of such as hardware components of slide or support structure. One known example in the prior art is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,137, issued to Johnson, which teaches a bi-directional elevating and rack-attached support device for use in the removal, installation and repair of rack-mounted items such as electronic telecommunications modules.
The support device of Johnson further includes such as a support platform adapted to be removably mounted to at least a pair of vertically arranged and spaced apart elements having a plurality of apertures therein and forming a rack for mounting modules thereto. A support mechanism is operatively supported by the support platform and is bi-directionally adjustable. The support mechanism includes such as a work platform and a scissor lift structure operably secured between the support platform and the work platform for achieving the bi-directional motion.
A carrying handle and level indicator (mounted within a front panel) are employed for assisting in repositioning adjustment and leveling of the support platform. Applicant further notes that Johnson discloses the use of an elongated adjustment screw, which is in communication with the pivoting end connections of each scissor lift, as well as extending through the front panel section of the device main body. Rotation of the screw in first or second directions results in the raising or lowering of the worktop as necessary to align the supported modules with respect to the desired vertical location of the support rack.
The present invention discloses a jig assembly associated with an existing cabinet, such a jig assembly providing a durable, reversible and correct guide for supporting and affixing the drawer slides in a time efficient and precisely aligned manner. The jig assembly is, in particular, useful in installing drawer slides in easily reversible fashion and at specified locations of first and second sides of a cabinet, the cabinet also including at least a bottom extending in interconnecting fashion with the first and second sides.
The jig assembly includes first and second substantially elongated supports, each including a pair of lengthwise extending slots and exhibiting a substantially flattened end surface. The first and second supports also include secondary slide support surfaces defined at each of opposite extending edges thereof and which, upon laying the jig assembly in substantially horizontally laying fashion along the bottom of the cabinet, provides a minor incremental spacing, typically xc2xcxe2x80x3 or xc2xdxe2x80x3, from the bottom and for installing a lower most pair of drawer slides.
A scissor mechanism includes first and second pairs of elongated and pivotally interconnecting members. Associated ends of the elongated members interconnect within slots extending within the first and second supports in vertically displaceable and adjustable fashion and so that the end surfaces of the support members are arrayed in oppositely facing and extensible fashion.
The scissor mechanism includes a ratchet sub-assembly defining a substantially midpoint interconnection between the pair of elongated members. The ratchet sub-assembly includes a pawl mechanism defined as a circularly extending array of individual slots defined within a face of a first selected elongated member. A tab is secured to a second selected elongated member in inwardly biasing fashion and projects through a window defined in the second member so that it is urged in incrementally engageable fashion within a selected one of the slots defined in the first member. In use, the ratchet assembly permits incremental extension of the first support relative to the second support and so that the drawer slide is supported in substantially level and extending fashion upon a selected support surface and prior to being secured to an associated side of the cabinet.
A further feature of the jig assembly is the provision of an attachment plate including an arcuate projecting finger from a first location thereof. Upon positioning of the first and second supports in an endwise supported fashion upon the cabinet bottom, the projecting finger is engageable with a selected one of a plurality of notches defined in lengthwise extending fashion along one or both of the elongated supports. A through bore is defined through a further location of the plate and provides a guide for drilling an aperture within an associated side of the cabinet, such as is known for receiving a tab for supporting extending ends of a shelf or ledge.